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C. Argiroffi

Publications and source records attributed to C. Argiroffi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2019

CSI2264: Simultaneous optical and X-ray variability in the pre-main sequence stars of NGC2264. II: Photometric variability, magnetic activity, and rotation in classIII objects and stars with transition disks

Pre-main sequence stars are variable sources. In diskless stars this variability is mainly due to the rotational modulation of dark photospheric spots and active regions, as in main sequence stars even if associated with a stronger magnetic activity. Aims. We aim at analyzing the simultaneous optical and X-ray variability in these stars to unveil how the activity in the photosphere is connected with that in the corona, to identify the dominant surface magnetic activity, and to correlate our results with stellar properties, such as rotation and mass. Methods. We analyzed the simultaneous optical and X-ray variability in stars without inner disks (e.g., class III objects and stars with transition disks) in NGC 2264 from observations obtained with Chandra/ACIS-I and CoRoT as part of the Coordinated Synoptic Investigation of NGC 2264. We searched for those stars whose optical and X-ray variability is correlated, anti-correlated, or not correlated by sampling their optical and X-ray light curves in suitable time intervals and studying the correlation between the flux observed in optical and in X-rays. We then studied how this classification is related with stellar properties. Results. Starting from a sample of 74 class III/transition disk (TD) stars observed with CoRoT and detected with Chandra with more than 60 counts, we selected 16 stars whose optical and X-ray variability is anti-correlated, 11 correlated, and 17 where there is no correlation. The remaining stars did not fall in any of these groups. We interpreted the anti-correlated optical and X-ray variability as typical of spot-dominated sources, due to the rotational modulation of photospheric spots spatially coincident to coronal active regions, and correlated variability typical of faculae-dominated sources, where the brightening due to faculae is dominant over the darkening due to spots. [Conclusions not shown in the pre-print]

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arXiv2019

A stellar flare-coronal mass ejection event revealed by X-ray plasma motions

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs), often associated with flares, are the most powerful magnetic phenomena occurring on the Sun. Stars show magnetic activity levels up to 10^4 times higher, and CME effects on stellar physics and circumstellar environments are predicted to be significant. However, stellar CMEs remain observationally unexplored. Using time-resolved high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of a stellar flare on the active star HR 9024 observed with Chandra/HETGS, we distinctly detected Doppler shifts in S XVI, Si XIV, and Mg XII lines that indicate upward and downward motions of hot plasmas (~10-25 MK) within the flaring loop, with velocity v~100-400 km/s, in agreement with a model of flaring magnetic tube. Most notably, we also detected a later blueshift in the O VIII line which reveals an upward motion, with v=90+/-30 km/s, of cool plasma (~4 MK), that we ascribe to a CME coupled to the flare. From this evidence we were able to derive a CME mass of 1x10^21 g and a CME kinetic energy of 5x10^34 erg. These values provide clues in the extrapolation of the solar case to higher activity levels, suggesting that CMEs could indeed be a major cause of mass and angular momentum loss.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2019

A deep X-ray view of the Class I YSO Elias 29 with XMM-Newton and NuSTAR

[Abridged] We investigated the X-ray characteristics of the Class I YSO Elias 29 with joint XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations of 300 ks and 450 ks, respectively. These are the first observations of a very young (<1 Myr) stellar object in a band encompassing simultaneously both soft and hard X-rays. In addition to the hot Fe complex at 6.7 keV, we observed fluorescent emission from Fe at $\sim6.4$ keV, confirming the previous findings. The line at 6.4 keV is detected during quiescent and flaring states and its flux is variable. The equivalent width is found varying in the $\approx 0.15--0.5$ keV range. These values make unrealistic a simple model with a centrally illuminated disk and suggest a role of the cavity containing Elias 29 and possibly reverberation processes that could occur in it. We observed two flares, with duration of 20 ks and 50 ks, respectively. We systematically observed an increase of $N_H$ during the flares of a factor five. This behavior has been observed during flares previously detected in Elias 29 with XMM-Newton and ASCA. The phenomenon hints that the flaring regions could be buried under the accretion streams and at high stellar latitudes, as the X-rays from flares pass through gas denser than the gas along the line of sight of the quiescent corona. In a different scenario, a contribution from scattered soft photons to the primary coronal emission could mimic a shallower $N_H$ in the quiescent spectrum. In the spectrum of the full NuSTAR exposure, we detect hard X-ray emission in the band $\approx20-80$ keV in excess with respect to the thermal emission. The hard X-ray emission could be due to a population of energetic electrons accelerated by the magnetic field along the accretion streams. These particles could concur to pumping up the Fe fluorescence of cold Fe of the disk along with X-ray photons with $E>7.11$ keV.

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arXiv2019

Simultaneous Kepler/K2 and XMM-Netwon observations of superflares in the Pleiades

Flares are powerful events ignited by a sudden release of magnetic energy. With the aim of studying flares in the 125-Myr-old stars in the Pleiades observed simultaneously in optical and X-ray light, we obtained new XMM-Newton observations of this cluster during the observations of Kepler K2 Campaign 4. Our objective is to characterize the most powerful flares observed in both bands and to constrain the energy released in the optical and X-ray, the geometry of the loops, and their time evolution. We aim to compare our results to existing studies of flares occurring in the Sun and stars at different ages. We selected bright X-ray/optical flares occurred in 12 known members of the Pleiades from their K2 and XMM-Newton light curves. The sample includes ten K-M stars, one F9 star, and one G8 star. Flare average properties were obtained from integrated analysis of the light curves during the flares. The time evolution of the plasma in the magnetic loops is constrained with time-resolved X-ray spectral analysis. Most of the flares studied in this work emitted more energy in optical than in X-rays, as in most solar flares, even if the Pleiades flares output a larger fraction of their total energy in X-rays than typical solar flares do. Additionally, the energy budget in the two bands is weakly correlated. We also found comparable flare duration in optical and X-rays and observed that rapidly rotating stars (e.g., with rotation period shorter than 0.5 days) preferentially host short flares. We estimated the slope of the cooling path of the flares in the log(EM)-versus-log(T) plane. The values we obtained are affected by large uncertainties, but their nominal values suggest that the flares analyzed in this paper are mainly due to single loops with no sustained heating occurring during the cooling phase. We also observed and analyzed oscillations with a period of 500 s during one of the flares.

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arXiv2017

Redshifted X-rays from the material accreting onto TW Hya: evidence of a low-latitude accretion spot

High resolution spectroscopy, providing constraints on plasma motions and temperatures, is a powerful means to investigate the structure of accretion streams in CTTS. In particular, the accretion shock region, where the accreting material is heated to temperatures of a few MK as it continues its inward bulk motion, can be probed by X-ray spectroscopy. To attempt to detect for the first time the motion of this X-ray-emitting post-shock material, we searched for a Doppler shift in the deep Chandra/HETGS observation of the CTTS TW Hya. This test should unveil the nature of this X-ray emitting plasma component in CTTS, and constrain the accretion stream geometry. We searched for a Doppler shift in the X-ray emission from TW Hya with two different methods, by measuring the position of a selected sample of emission lines, and by fitting the whole TW Hya X-ray spectrum, allowing the line-of-sight velocity to vary. We found that the plasma at T~2-4 MK has a line-of-sight velocity of 38.3+/-5.1 km/s with respect to the stellar photosphere. This result definitively confirms that this X-ray-emitting material originates in the post-shock region, at the base of the accretion stream, and not in coronal structures. The comparison of the observed velocity along the line of sight, 38.3+/-5.1 km/s, with the inferred intrinsic velocity of the post shock of TW Hya, v_post~110-120 km/s, indicates that the footpoints of the accretion streams on TW Hya are located at low latitudes on the stellar surface. Our results indicate that complex magnetic field geometries, such as that of TW Hya, permit low-latitude accretion spots. Moreover, since on TW Hya the redshift of the soft X-ray emission is very similar to that of the narrow component of the CIV resonance doublet at 1550 Ang, as found by Ardila et al. (2013), then the plasma at 2-4 MK and that at 0.1 MK likely originate in the same post-shock regions.

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arXiv2017

Laboratory unravelling of matter accretion in young stars

Accretion dynamics in the forming of young stars is still object of debate because of limitations in observations and modelling. Through scaled laboratory experiments of collimated plasma accretion onto a solid in the presence of a magnetic field, we open first window on this phenomenon by tracking, with spatial and temporal resolution, the dynamics of the system and simultaneously measuring multiband emissions. We observe in these experiments that matter, upon impact, is laterally ejected from the solid surface, then refocused by the magnetic field toward the incoming stream. Such ejected matter forms a plasma shell that envelops the shocked core, reducing escaped X-ray emission. This demonstrates one possible structure reconciling current discrepancies between mass accretion rates derived from X-ray and optical observations.

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arXiv2017

CSI 2264: Simultaneous optical and X-ray variability in pre-Main Sequence stars. I: Time resolved X-ray spectral analysis during optical dips and accretion bursts in stars with disks

Pre-main sequence stars are variable sources. In stars with disks, this variability is related to the morphology of the inner circumstellar region (<0.1 AU) and that of the photosphere and corona, all impossible to be spatially resolved with present day techniques. This has been the main motivation for the Coordinated Synoptic Investigation of NGC 2264. In this paper, we focus on the stars with disks. We analyze the X-ray spectral properties extracted during optical bursts and dips in order to unveil the nature of these phenomena. We analyze simultaneous CoRoT and Chandra/ACIS-I observations to search for coherent optical and X-ray flux variability in stars with disks. Then, stars are analyzed in two different samples. In stars with variable extinction, we look for a simultaneous increase of optical extinction and X-ray absorption during the optical dips; in stars with accretion bursts, we search for soft X-ray emission and increasing X-ray absorption during the bursts. Results. We find evidence for coherent optical and X-ray flux variability among the stars with variable extinction. In 9/24 stars with optical dips, we observe a simultaneous increase of X-ray absorption and optical extinction. In seven dips, it is possible to calculate the NH/AV ratio in order to infer the composition of the obscuring material. In 5/20 stars with optical accretion bursts, we observe increasing soft X-ray emission during the bursts that we associate to the emission of accreting gas. It is not surprising that these properties are not observed in all the stars with dips and bursts, since favorable geometric configurations are required. The observed variable absorption during the dips is mainly due to dust-free material in accretion streams. In stars with accretion bursts, we observe on average a larger soft X-ray spectral component not observed in non accreting stars.

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arXiv2016

Hydrodynamic Modeling of Accretion Impacts in Classical T Tauri Stars: Radiative Heating of the Pre-shock Plasma

Context. It is generally accepted that, in Classical T Tauri Stars, the plasma from the circumstellar disc accretes onto the stellar surface with free fall velocity, and the impact generates a shock. The impact region is expected to contribute to emission in different spectral bands; many studies have confirmed that the X-rays arise from the post-shock plasma but, otherwise, there are no studies in the literature investigating the origin of the observed UV emission which is apparently correlated to accretion. Aims. We investigated the effect of radiative heating of the infalling material by the post-shock plasma at the base of the accretion stream with the aim to identify in which region a significant part of the UV emission originates. Methods. We developed a 1D hydrodynamic model describing the impact of an accretion stream onto the stellar surface; the model takes into account the gravity, the radiative cooling of an optically thin plasma, the thermal conduction, and the heating due to absorption of X-ray radiation. The latter term represents the heating of the infalling plasma due to the absorption of X-rays emitted from the post-shock region. Results. We found that the radiative heating of the pre-shock plasma plays a non-negligible role in the accretion phenomenon. In particular, the dense and cold plasma of the pre-shock accretion column is gradually heated up to few $10^5$\;K due to irradiation of X-rays arising from the shocked plasma at the impact region. This heating mechanism does not affect significantly the dynamics of the post-shock plasma. On the other hand, a region of radiatively heated gas (that we consider a precursor) forms in the unshocked accretion column and contributes significantly to UV emission. Our model naturally reproduces the luminosity of UV emission lines correlated to accretion and shows that most of the UV emission originates from the precursor.

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arXiv2016

Supersaturation and activity-rotation relation in PMS stars: the young Cluster h Per

The magnetic activity of late-type MS stars is characterized by different regimes, and their activity levels are well described by Ro, the ratio between P_rot and the convective turnover time. Very young PMS stars show, similarly to MS stars, intense magnetic activity. However they do not show clear activity-rotation trends, and it still debated which stellar parameters determine their magnetic activity levels. To bridge the gap between MS and PMS stars, we studied the activity-rotation relation in the young cluster h Per, a ~13 Myr old cluster, that contains both fast and slow rotators, whose members have ended their accretion phase and have already developed a radiative core. It offers us the opportunity to study the activity level of intermediate-age PMS stars with different rotational velocities, excluding any interactions with the circumstellar environment. We constrained the magnetic activity levels of h Per members measuring their X-ray emission from a Chandra observation, while P_rot were obtained by Moraux et al. (2013). We collected a final catalog of 414 h Per members with known P_rot, T_eff, M_star, with 169 of them having also detected X-ray emission. We found that h Per members, with 1.0 M_sun < M_star < 1.4 M_sun, display different activity regimes: fast rotators show supersaturation, while slower rotators have activity levels compatible to the non-saturated regime. At 13 Myr h Per is therefore the youngest cluster showing activity-rotation regimes analogous to that of MS stars, indicating that, at this age, magnetic field production is likely regulated by the alpha-Omega type dynamo. Moreover we observed that supersaturation is better described by P_rot than Ro, and that the observed patterns are compatible with the hypothesis of centrifugal stripping. In this scenario we inferred that coronae can produce structures as large as ~2 R_star above the stellar surface.

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arXiv2014

Magnetohydrodynamic modeling of the accretion shocks in classical T Tauri stars: the role of local absorption on the X-ray emission

We investigate the properties of X-ray emission from accretion shocks in classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs), generated where the infalling material impacts the stellar surface. Both observations and models of the accretion process reveal several aspects that are still unclear: the observed X-ray luminosity in accretion shocks is below the predicted value, and the density versus temperature structure of the shocked plasma, with increasing densities at higher temperature, deduced from the observations, is at odds with that proposed in the current picture of accretion shocks. To address these open issues we investigate whether a correct treatment of the local absorption by the surrounding medium is crucial to explain the observations. To this end, we describe the impact of an accretion stream on a CTTS by considering a magnetohydrodynamic model. From the model results we synthesize the X-ray emission from the accretion shock by producing maps and spectra. We perform density and temperature diagnostics on the synthetic spectra, and we directly compare the results with the observations. Our model shows that the X-ray fluxes inferred from the emerging spectra are lower than expected because of the complex local absorption by the optically thick material of the chromosphere and of the unperturbed stream. Moreover, our model including the effects of local absorption explains in a natural way the apparently puzzling pattern of density versus temperature observed in the X-ray emission from accretion shocks.

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arXiv2013

Radiative accretion shocks along nonuniform stellar magnetic fields in classical T Tauri stars

(abridged) AIMS. We investigate the dynamics and stability of post-shock plasma streaming along nonuniform stellar magnetic fields at the impact region of accretion columns. We study how the magnetic field configuration and strength determine the structure, geometry, and location of the shock-heated plasma. METHODS. We model the impact of an accretion stream onto the chromosphere of a CTTS by 2D axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic simulations. Our model takes into account the gravity, the radiative cooling, and the magnetic-field-oriented thermal conduction. RESULTS. The structure, stability, and location of the shocked plasma strongly depend on the configuration and strength of the magnetic field. For weak magnetic fields, a large component of B may develop perpendicular to the stream at the base of the accretion column, limiting the sinking of the shocked plasma into the chromosphere. An envelope of dense and cold chromospheric material may also develop around the shocked column. For strong magnetic fields, the field configuration determines the position of the shock and its stand-off height. If the field is strongly tapered close to the chromosphere, an oblique shock may form well above the stellar surface. In general, a nonuniform magnetic field makes the distribution of emission measure vs. temperature of the shocked plasma lower than in the case of uniform magnetic field. CONCLUSIONS. The initial strength and configuration of the magnetic field in the impact region of the stream are expected to influence the chromospheric absorption and, therefore, the observability of the shock-heated plasma in the X-ray band. The field strength and configuration influence also the energy balance of the shocked plasma, its emission measure at T > 1 MK being lower than expected for a uniform field. The above effects contribute in underestimating the mass accretion rates derived in the X-ray band.

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arXiv2013

The magnetosphere of the close accreting PMS binary V4046 Sgr

V4046 Sagittarii AB is a close short-period classical T Tauri binary. It is a circularised and synchronised system accreting from a circumbinary disk. In 2009 it was observed as part of a coordinated program involving near-simultaneous spectropolarimetric observations with ESPaDOnS at the Canada-France-Hawai'i Telescope and high-resolution X-ray observations with XMM-Newton. Magnetic maps of each star were derived from Zeeman-Doppler imaging. After briefly highlighting the most significant observational findings, we present a preliminary 3D model of the binary magnetosphere constructed from the magnetic maps using a newly developed binary magnetic field extrapolation code. The large-scale fields (the dipole components) of both stars are highly tilted with respect to their rotation axes, and their magnetic fields are linked.

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arXiv2013

YSO accretion shocks: magnetic, chromospheric or stochastic flow effects can suppress fluctuations of X-ray emission

Context. Theoretical arguments and numerical simulations of radiative shocks produced by the impact of the accreting gas onto young stars predict quasi-periodic oscillations in the emitted radiation. However, observational data do not show evidence of such periodicity. Aims. We investigate whether physically plausible perturbations in the accretion column or in the chromosphere could disrupt the shock structure influencing the observability of the oscillatory behavior. Methods. We performed local 2D magneto-hydrodynamical simulations of an accretion shock impacting a chromosphere, taking optically thin radiation losses and thermal conduction into account. We investigated the effects of several perturbation types, such as clumps in the accretion stream or chromospheric fluctuations, and also explored a wide range of plasma-βvalues. Results. In the case of a weak magnetic field, the post-shock region shows chaotic motion and mixing, smoothing out the perturbations and retaining a global periodic signature. On the other hand, a strong magnetic field confines the plasma in flux tubes, which leads to the formation of fibrils that oscillate independently. Realistic values for the amplitude, length, and time scales of the perturbation are capable of bringing the fibril oscillations out of phase, suppressing the periodicity of the emission. Conclusions. The strength of a locally uniform magnetic field in YSO accretion shocks determines the structure of the post-shock region, namely, whether it will be somewhat homogeneous or if it will split up to form a collection of fibrils. In the second case, the size and shape of the fibrils is found to depend strongly on the plasma-βvalue but not on the perturbation type. Therefore, the actual value of the protostellar magnetic field is expected to play a critical role in the time dependence of the observable emission.

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arXiv2013

The Hot and Energetic Universe: Star formation and evolution

Stars over a wide range of masses and evolutionary stages are nowadays known to emit X-rays. This X-ray emission is a unique probe of the most energetic phenomena occurring in the circumstellar environment of these stars, and provides precious insight on magnetic phenomena or hydrodynamic shocks. Owing to its large collecting area, Athena+ will open up an entirely new window on these phenomena. Indeed, Athena+ will not only allow us to study many more objects with an unprecedented spectral resolution, but will also pioneer the study of the dynamics of these objects via time-resolved high-resolution spectroscopy. In this way, Athena+ will be a unique tool to study accretion processes in TTauri stars, flaring activity in young stars, dynamos in ultra-cool dwarfs, small and large-scale structures in the winds of single massive stars, wind interactions in massive binary systems, hot bubbles in planetary nebula... All these studies will lead to a deeper understanding of yet poorly understood processes which have profound impact in star and planetary system formation as well as in feedback processes on Galactic scale.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2012

The close T Tauri binary system V4046 Sgr: Rotationally modulated X-ray emission from accretion shocks

We report initial results from a quasi-simultaneous X-ray/optical observing campaign targeting V4046 Sgr, a close, synchronous-rotating classical T Tauri star (CTTS) binary in which both components are actively accreting. V4046 Sgr is a strong X-ray source, with the X-rays mainly arising from high-density (n_e ~ 10^(11-12) cm^(-3)) plasma at temperatures of 3-4 MK. Our multiwavelength campaign aims to simultaneously constrain the properties of this X-ray emitting plasma, the large scale magnetic field, and the accretion geometry. In this paper, we present key results obtained via time-resolved X-ray grating spectra, gathered in a 360 ks XMM-Newton observation that covered 2.2 system rotations. We find that the emission lines produced by this high-density plasma display periodic flux variations with a measured period, 1.22+/-0.01 d, that is precisely half that of the binary star system (2.42 d). The observed rotational modulation can be explained assuming that the high-density plasma occupies small portions of the stellar surfaces, corotating with the stars, and that the high-density plasma is not azimuthally symmetrically distributed with respect to the rotational axis of each star. These results strongly support models in which high-density, X-ray-emitting CTTS plasma is material heated in accretion shocks, located at the base of accretion flows tied to the system by magnetic field lines.

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arXiv2011

GSC 07396-00759 = V4046 Sgr C[D]: a Wide-separation Companion to the Close T Tauri Binary System V4046 Sgr AB

We explore the possibility that GSC 07396-00759 (spectral type M1e) is a widely separated (~2.82', or projected separation ~12,350 AU) companion to the "old" (age ~12 Myr) classical T Tauri binary system V4046 Sgr AB, as suggested by the proximity and similar space motions of the two systems. If the two systems are equidistant and coeval, then GSC 07396--00759, like V4046 Sgr AB, must be a spectroscopic binary with nearly equal-mass components, and V4046 Sgr must be at least ~8 Myr old. Analysis of a serendipitous Chandra X-ray gratings spectrum and light curve as well as XMM-Newton light curves and CCD spectra of GSC 07396-00759 obtained during long exposures targeting V4046 Sgr AB reveals a relatively hard (T_X ~ 10^7 K) X-ray spectrum, strong flaring, and relatively low-density plasma. These X-ray characteristics of GCS 07396--00759 are indicative of a high level of coronal activity, consistent with its apparent weak-lined T Tauri star status. Interactions between V4046 Sgr AB and GCS 07396-00759 when the two systems were more closely bound may be responsible for (a) their dissolution ~10^6 yr ago, (b) the present tight, circular orbit of V4046 Sgr AB, and (c) the persistence of the gaseous circumbinary disk still orbiting V4046 Sgr AB.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2011

The close classical T Tauri binary V4046 Sgr: Complex magnetic fields & distributed mass accretion

We report here the first results of a multi-wavelength campaign focussing on magnetospheric accretion processes within the close binary system V4046 Sgr, hosting two partly-convective classical T Tauri stars of masses ~0.9 Msun and age ~12 Myr. In this paper, we present time-resolved spectropolarimetric observations collected in 2009 September with ESPaDOnS at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) and covering a full span of 7d or ~2.5 orbital/rotational cycles of V4046 Sgr. Small circularly polarised Zeeman signatures are detected in the photospheric absorption lines but not in the accretion-powered emission lines of V4046 Sgr, thereby demonstrating that both system components host large-scale magnetic fields weaker and more complex than those of younger, fully-convective cTTSs of only a few Myr and similar masses. Applying our tomographic imaging tools to the collected data set, we reconstruct maps of the large-scale magnetic field, photospheric brightness and accretion-powered emission at the surfaces of both stars of V4046 Sgr. We find that these fields include significant toroidal components, and that their poloidal components are mostly non-axisymmetric with a dipolar component of 50-100G strongly tilted with respect to the rotation axis; given the similarity with fields of partly-convective main-sequence stars of similar masses and rotation periods, we conclude that these fields are most likely generated by dynamo processes. We also find that both stars in the system show cool spots close to the pole and extended regions of low-contrast, accretion-powered emission; it suggests that mass accretion is likely distributed rather than confined in well defined high-contrast accretion spots, in agreement with the derived magnetic field complexity.

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